Here’s something that’ll make you pause: only 11% of Americans say they have zero regrets. That’s according to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults by Talker Research commissioned by Mucinex. That means 89% of us are walking around wishing we’d done at least one thing differently.
And honestly? That’s wild when you think about it.
The same survey found that 40% regret not speaking up when it mattered. Another study by Resume Now polling 1,000 workers across the U.S., U.K., France and Germany found that 66% of workers have work-related regrets. The patterns are clear—we’re making the same mistakes over and over.
But here’s the good news. Learning from other people’s regrets can help you dodge those bullets before they hit. Here are 13 things people wish they’d handled differently.
Not saving for retirement early enough
This one tops nearly every regret list for a reason.
According to Bankrate’s 2024 Financial Regret Survey, 22% of people say not saving for retirement early enough is their biggest financial regret. And get this—Bankrate’s 2024 Retirement Savings Survey revealed 57% of American workers feel behind on their retirement savings.
The math is brutal. Start at 25 versus 35, and you could retire with hundreds of thousands more thanks to compound interest.
Even $100 a month at 25 beats $300 a month at 35. That’s not opinion—that’s just how money grows.
Not spending enough time with family and friends
When people look back on their lives, guess what they don’t think about? Work.
A survey commissioned by Mucinex found that 40% of baby boomers wish they’d spent more time with family and friends. Hospice worker Bronnie Ware, who documented dying patients’ regrets in her international bestselling book “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying,” found this was universal across cultures and generations.
People consistently let golden friendships slip by over the years, only realizing their value when it’s too late.
Your kid’s soccer game? That presentation can wait. Trust me, no one’s deathbed wish was “I should’ve worked more weekends.”
Working too much
Speaking of work—yeah, this is its own regret category.
According to Bronnie Ware’s research with dying patients, every single male patient deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the work treadmill. Women said the same thing. This became one of the five most common regrets Ware documented.
Deloitte Research found that 77% of workers have experienced burnout at their current job.
Here’s the kicker: that promotion or corner office won’t matter when you’re looking back. But missing your daughter’s dance recital? That’ll sting forever.
Not pursuing their dreams
Dreams don’t have expiration dates. Except they kinda do.
Whether it’s starting that business, writing that book, or learning guitar, waiting rarely works out. Life doesn’t get less busy. You don’t suddenly get more time.
The best time to start was ten years ago. The second-best time? Right now.
Not investing or investing too conservatively
Money regrets hit different because you can literally calculate what you lost.
A MagnifyMoney survey found that 77% of Americans regret not investing earlier in life. The same research revealed that 45% feel they’ve missed out on financial opportunities by not investing more over the past decade.
Additionally, financial professionals told Bankrate that many of their clients regret not investing aggressively enough when they were younger.
You don’t need to be a Wall Street genius. Just consistent. Even boring index funds beat doing nothing.
Not taking risks with their career
Playing it safe feels smart—until it doesn’t.
The Allianz Life study revealed 38% of people regret not taking career risks, while 36% wish they’d been more gutsy with life choices overall.
Resume Now’s research found that 58% of workers regret staying at a job too long. That comfortable paycheck can become a comfortable prison.
The scariest part? Mid-career workers have the most regrets, with 70% of millennials and 69% of Gen Xers reporting work-related regrets.
Not expressing their feelings
Silence might keep the peace, but it kills relationships.
According to Bronnie Ware’s palliative care research, many people suppressed their feelings to keep the peace with others, settling for a mediocre existence and never becoming who they were capable of becoming. This was the third most common regret among dying patients.
It’s a weird paradox—we regret both not speaking up AND saying the wrong things. The lesson? Say what matters, skip what doesn’t.
Not traveling more
You can always make more money. You can’t make more time.
The Mucinex survey showed 32% of boomers regret not traveling more. And when Allianz Life asked what they’d do with 30 extra years of life, 56% said they’d travel extensively.
Your body won’t always let you climb Machu Picchu or backpack through Europe. There’s a window for these things, and it closes faster than you think.
Not taking care of their health
This one’s sneaky because the consequences show up years later.
The World Health Organization reported that nearly 1.8 billion adults worldwide—31%—didn’t meet recommended physical activity levels in 2022. That’s up 5% from 2010.
Health brings a freedom very few realize until they no longer have it.
You can’t repurchase good health with money. Ask anyone dealing with preventable health issues—they’d trade their savings for their health in a heartbeat.
Falling into credit card debt
Debt is like quicksand—easy to fall into, hell to escape.
A Newsweek report on financial mistakes found credit card debt was the most common financial regret, with many admitting they underestimated how quickly small purchases balloon into overwhelming balances.
Bankrate’s research showed 14% regret taking on too much credit card debt, and here’s the brutal part: 40% of people with financial regrets haven’t made any progress on them in the past year.
That “buy now, pay later” mentality? It’s a trap. Future you will hate present you for it.
Not building an emergency fund
Life has a way of testing you when you’re least prepared.
According to Bankrate’s 2024 Financial Regret Survey, 18% of Americans regret not saving enough for emergency expenses. Some respondents were managing fine until an unexpected expense derailed everything.
The car breaks down. Medical emergency. Job loss. Pick your poison.
The experts say you need 3-6 months of expenses saved. Most people have way less than that.
Not learning to set boundaries
Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a warning sign you ignored.
A comprehensive study on work-life balance found that 34% of women and 26% of men report feeling burned out “always” or “very often.” And it’s worse for younger workers—48% of people under 30 feel burned out compared to 40% of those 30 and above.
The American Psychological Association’s 2024 Work in America Survey found that 33% of workers don’t have enough flexibility to balance work and personal life, and 95% say working for an organization that respects work-life boundaries is very important.
Learn to say no. Your mental health depends on it.
Not enjoying the present moment
Everyone’s so busy planning the future that they forget to live in the present.
Despite regrets, the 2024 Happiness Report found the 60+ population is the happiest age group in the U.S., while those in their 20s report the highest levels of unhappiness.
Why? Older people learned to be present. To be grateful. To stop obsessing over what they don’t have.
The Entrepreneur report on the Talker Research survey found that 64% of U.S. adults believe their decision-making improves with age, and 48% endorse living without regret.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s perspective. And that comes from being here, now, instead of constantly somewhere else in your head.
Key Takeaway
Here’s what all these regrets have in common: they’re about inaction more than action.
We don’t regret the things we tried and failed at nearly as much as we regret the things we never tried at all. The relationships we didn’t nurture. The risks we didn’t take. The savings we didn’t start.
The good news?
You’ve got time to fix this. But only if you start now.
Stop waiting for the “right time.” Stop overthinking. Just start—with your retirement fund, with that phone call, with your health, with whatever you’ve been putting off.
Because the biggest regret of all? Looking back, I wish you’d started today.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
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